Low Calorie Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

This Macaroni & Cheese recipe from BlackDoctor.Org will have you eating more this great dish without the added weight. It feeds 6 and takes only 30 minutes.

Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

Low Calorie Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

Ingredients 
12 oz fusilli or elbow pasta
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup flour
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup vegetable broth
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 cup shredded colby cheese
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste

READ FULL RECIPE 

 

Sodium Doesn’t Just Come From the Salt Shaker

Most of the sodium in our meals comes from packaged foods that contain sodium in a variety of forms, including as a preservative. Reading labels is important because even within a category, there can be huge differences in the sodium content. Many brands have reformulated and call out reduced sodium on the label so that is a good place to start when trying to lower sodium.

Other tips to reduce sodium include:

  • Rinsing canned veggies. Did you know that by draining and rinsing canned beans (a nutrition superstar) you can cut sodium by 40%?
  • Use herbs and spices for flavor instead of salt
  • Choose breads with less sodium

 

Fruits, veggies and dairy foods (all rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium) can help lower blood pressure.

Did you know that nearly half of US adults have hypertension? High blood pressure is extremely common, but here are some ways to lower it?

LEARN MORE

Tune in to Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast featuring Andre “Doctor Dre” Brown, Nat Adderley Jr.,  Dr. Khoshnevis, Danny Clay, and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE.  Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from Luther Vandross’s album, ‘The Night I Fell In Love’ courtesy of SONY Music.

 

Divabetic Mystery Phrase #28

Can you solve Divabetic’s Mystery Phrase #28? Our phrase can help to reduce blood pressure and your risk of heart disease, and stroke.

Sodium — often simply referred to as salt — is found in nearly everything you eat and drink.

It occurs naturally in many foods, is added to others during the manufacturing process and is used as a flavoring agent at home and restaurants.

Sodium has been linked to high blood pressure which  increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease.

As for the general population, people with diabetes are advised to limit their sodium consumption to less than 2,300 mg per day – the equivalence of one teaspoon of salt. The American Heart Association advises a much lower intake of 1,500 mg (1.5 grams) per day.

However, Americans consume about 3,400 mg (3.4 grams) of sodium daily.

Sodium consumption is associated with calorie intake — the more calories you eat, the more sodium you consume (31Trusted Source).

SInce most people consume more calories than they need each day, simply cutting back on calories is the easiest way to reduce your sodium intake without much thought.

Sodium, Potassium Guidelines Rarely Met by Adults with Diabetes reports  Michael Monostra in Endocrinoloy Today

“Our study was that sodium and potassium intake is actually unlikely to change over time in people with diabetes. Therefore, the sodium and potassium intake in a person with diabetes today, is most likely going to be at the same level in the future, despite all the investment in public health advocacy,” said Sara Baqar, MBBS, FRACP, a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne and endocrinologist at Austin Health in Heidelberg, Australia, reports Healio.

“It is simply not enough to recommend eating less canned food and packaged and salted meats, especially during COVID-19 when people may be food shopping less often and underserved communities may not have adequate access to fresh produce, fish and vegetables,” states Susan Greenberg Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES.

Enjoy Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcast Anniversary Special with music from the world’s most famous “Divabetic”– Ms. Patti LaBelle. She’s encouraging you to have a ‘NEW ATTITUDE’ about living with diabetes! Guests include: Patricia Addie-Gentle, RN, CDE, Dr. Andrea Chisholm OB-GYN, Luther McRae, Mama Rose Marie, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Seveda Williams and Terri Seidman.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free, fun Virtual Cooking Party with special guest Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ on Zoom on Thursday, August 13, 2020, 7 – 7:40 PM, EST on Zoom.

Having diabetes doesn’t mean you need to deny yourself all the foods you love, but you do want to make healthier food choices. One good choice is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, which are heavy in nutrition but light in calories.

During this virtual Cooking Party on Zoom, Chef Robert Lewis will prepare a recipe that won’t compromise your diabetes wellness.

Chef Robert Lewis, The Happy Diabetic, is a nationally recognized author and motivational speaker who is passionate about helping people learn to live a healthier lifestyle. Chef Lewis graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in 1976. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1998. Thus began his motivation to create great tasting dishes that are easy to prepare. He travels the country speaking on the benefits of healthy eating not only for people affected by diabetes, but also for anyone who would like to eat and live a healthy lifestyle. 

REGISTER NOW – IT’S FREE 

 

Fast Food Menus Are Less Healthy Than They Were 30 Years Ago

Fast food menus are less healthy than they were 30 years ago according to The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics study published last week. 

The researchers studied 1,787 entrees, sides and desserts at 10 chains — Arby’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Dairy Queen, Hardee’s, Jack in the Box, KFC, Long John Silver’s, McDonald’s and Wendy’s — from 1986 to 2016. In that time, the number of items in those three categories rose 226 percent.

Across the 10 chains, the researchers found, the average entree weighed 39 grams more in 2016 than in 1986 and had 90 more calories. It also had 41.6 percent of the recommended daily allotment of sodium, up from 27.8 percent.

Sodium content rose to 23.2 percent of the recommended daily allotment from 11.6 percent, even though portion size did not grow substantially.

Divabetic will presenting the first-ever Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience: Clued Innon Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019 in New York City. Currently we have over 150 pre-registered for Clued Inn but there’s still room for you and your friends to participate! Register now at CluedInn.org.

Give Red Sauce A Rest! (Spaghetti Western Father’s Day Celebration)

“Life is a combination of magic and pasta,” said filmmaker Federico Fellini. 
Walking down the aisle of my local Whole Food it seems clear that the ‘magic’ of today’s pasta is the wide range of ingredients such as quinoa and legume such as chickpeas and lentils available. Whereas traditional pasta is made from semolina, a refined flour derived from durum wheat, these new noodles appeal to people interested in cutting back on barbs, avoiding gluten and looking for plant-based proteins. 
What do you put on your pasta?
Canned pasta sauce can be an indispensable ingredient when making spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and other pasta dishes. Unprocessed choices are typically healthier than processed options. It’s important to read the nutrition facts label to confirm the sauce fits into your meal plan.
Processed American pasta sauces are loaded with excess calories, tons of salt, and loads of added sugar that might surprise you. These jarred, ready-to-eat sauces from the grocery store are often made with oils that are full of inflammatory omega-6s—a stark contrast to the oleic acid found in extra virgin olive oil that actually helps you lose belly fat, not gain it.

Prego “Traditional” sauce is  free of any extra virgin olive oil and only contains canola oil. That’s not the only problem—the sauce also boasts as much sugar as a French Cruller donut from Dunkin Donuts. ( Per 1/2 cup: 70 calories, 1.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 480 mg sodium, 13 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 2 g protein)
Ragu Chunky Tomato, Garlic and Onion sauce is full of more sugar than a bowl of Froot Loops cereal and fats entirely from likely pesticide-laden soybean oil. (Per 1/2 cup, 128 g: 90 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 460 mg sodium, 16 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 12 g sugar, 2 g protein)
Ragu Old Style Organic Traditional sauce uses all organic products in their Traditional sauce. (In case you didn’t know, Ragu’s “Traditional” sauces differ from their “Marinara” sauces because of the addition of Romano cheese). Unfortunately, there’s plenty of inflammatory soybean oil and sugar to the sauce. (Per 1/2 cup, 125 g: 70 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 470 mg sodium, 12 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 2 g protein)
DIVABETIC TIP: One way to lower the sodium content of any jarred sauce is to combine it with a can of salt free tomato sauce or diced tomatoes. 

Enjoy Best-Selling Cookbook Author Holly Clegg‘s healthy delicious recipes for our Divabetic ‘Spaghetti Western’ Father’s  Day Celebration. Holly’s menu includes Southwestern Roasted Vegetables, Asparagus with Zucchini Rings., Vodka Pasta, Beer Bread , Butternut Squash, Black Bean and Feta Enchiladas with Salsa Verde,  Southwestern Pasta. READ

Find out how our Divabetic ‘Spaghetti Western’ themed Father’s Day Celebration is shedding new light on ‘Great Silence’ aka Erectile Dysfunction (ED) in this guest blog by Janis Roszler MSFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND READ

 

LISTEN NOW: Lorraine Brooks reads ‘I Woke Up This Morning’ on June’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast. Guests include singer Alfa Anderson, Diabetic Macular Edema patient Maryanne Kass, Artist Bryce Chisholm, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring selected songs from several of Maxwell’s albums courtesy of SONY Music.

Test Your ‘Diabetes IQ’ with These Tricky Questions from the Easter Parade

I had a great time raising awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way at this year’s Annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival in New York on Easter Sunday. It was the first straight year in a row that we took to the streets to educate and entertain participants.

In 2012, I filmed my very first YouTube at the Easter Parade. Now, I have my own ‘Mr. Divabetic’ YouTube channel (!) featuring videos from various parades and festivals in New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC.

How much do you know about Diabetes Health & Wellness? Test your ‘Diabetes IQ’ with 13 Mr. Divabetic Questions from 2017 Easter Parade:

1. What was Mary Tyler Moore’s character name on the Dick Van Dyke Show?

A. Laura Petrie

B. Laura Ingalls

C. Laura  Spencer

2. Which food product doesn’t contain gluten?

A. fritos

B. soy sauce

C. Velveeta 

3. People with diabetes are at low risk for developing glaucoma?

A. True

B. False

4. Which food product contains the most sodium?

A. hot dog

B. cornflakes (1 cup)

C. soy sauce (1 tablespoon)

5. Once eye disease starts, it cannot be stopped

A. True

B. False

6. Diabetic eye disease usually has early warning signs

A. True

B. False

7. If you have Diabetic Retinopathy …

A. You may notice changes in your vision right away

B. You may never notice any changes in your vision

C. You may not notice change in your vision at first

8. Diabetes-related eye diseases include:

A. Diabetic Retinopathy

B. Cataract

C. Glaucoma

D. All of the above

9. Which what organ in the body produces insulin?

A. Liver

B. Spleen

C. Pancreas

10. How many times does a heart beat in a lifetime?

A. 2.5 Million

B. 2.5 Billion

C. 2.5 Trillion

11. Shoes with heels should will be no more than…

A. 1 inch high

B. 1 1/2 inches high

C. 2 inches high

D. 2 1/2  inches high

12. One avocado contains how many servings?

A. 1 Serving

B. 3 Servings

C. 5 Servings

13. How much blood do your kidneys filter every day?

A. 1 Gallon

B. 50 Quarts

C. 200 Quarts

To mark this historic milestone at Divabetic, hat designer Joe Murray created a special ‘Pineapple Top Hat’ for me to top off my outfit. (Check out my new 18 Carot Fruit Suit tuxedo jacket!)

Don’t let the parade pass you by!  Check out our Facebook Live Videos (Divabetic) to catch all the sights and sounds from the Easter Parade with guests Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, the Salad Bar Superstar, Aida Romaine and more!

ANSWERS: 1. A. Laura Petrie. Actress Mary Tyler Moore was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes just before ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ launched. If Mary could take it on with a smile, so can we! 2. A. Fritos 3. B. FALSE: Glaucoma is almost twice as likely to occur in people with diabetes than in those without the disease. 4. C. Soy Sauce. One tablespoon typically contains about 1,000 milligrams of sodium—nearly half of the recommended limit for sodium intake in an entire day—soy sauce is indeed a high-sodium food. 5. B. FALSE 6.B. FALSE 7. C. You may not notice change in your vision at first  8. D. All of the above 9. C. Pancreas. Your pancreas maintains your body’s blood glucose (sugar) balance. Primary hormones of the pancreas include insulin and glucagon, and both regulate blood glucose levels. 10. B. 2.5 Billion 11. B. 1 1/2 inches high according to the Dr. Michele Summers Colon – ’The Holistic Podiatrist’ 12. C. 5 Servings 13. C. 200 Quarts